SWC wants previous engineer

BY CINDY TOOPES COURIER STAFF WRITER

November 21, 2007 10:43 pm

— OTTUMWA — Three change orders plus a lackluster 10-year financial plan add up to one thing for the solid waste commission: Change the engineer.
The Ottumwa/Wapello County Solid Waste Commission approved the change orders Wednesday and requested SWC Director Jody Gates invite Tim Buelow of Barker-Lemar Engineering Consultants to the next meeting.
Gates said Buelow was SWC’s primary engineer until a couple of years ago after Buelow “moved up” in the firm. Brian Rath replaced him.
“We’re less than satisfied with Brian,” Gates told the commission.
The change orders totaled $135,546.07 and related to finishing the north cell abutment and closing the south cell at the Ottumwa/Wapello County Landfill.
The first change order was for $18,572.49. Steger Construction of Dyersville had to remove more solid waste from the north cell than originally planned in order to install the abutment liner.
Gates said Rath based the estimate on what he thought was still in the cell. However, an updated Global Positioning System (GPS) topographic survey showed the quantity of solid waste was 6,214 cubic yards more than Rath indicated.
And, Rath said sand would stay on the abutment but it slid down instead, according to Gates. The landfill switched to tire shreds, “which are more practical,” she added.
Rath projected the landfill staff could cover the excavated garbage but Gates said “the staff had enough to do” and requested Steger handle it.
Steger’s also agreed “to put a final cover on the south cell, thereby closing it using a soil cap prior to the implementation of new Iowa Department of Natural Resources rules.” This saved the commission some money.
But, the closure alone still cost $103,110.03, which will come out of the landfill’s closure fund, according to Gates’ resolution.
Revised quantities were part of the third change order. In addition, Steger had to remove more solid waste to expose and clean the south edge of the flexible membrane liner (FML) in the north cell so the FML at the base of the north cell abutment could be sealed directly to it.
Commissioner Jerry Parker wasn’t happy about all the revisions and miscalculations.
“Someone should know these things. We pay Barker-Lemar a lot of money and we never heard about this until it blew up,” he said.
Parker also mentioned the 10-year financial plan that Barker-Lemar prepared for the landfill earlier this year.
“If you study that in detail, you’ll find they didn’t do anything we couldn’t have and we paid them $7,500,” he said.
Commissioner Gordon Aistrope said Barker-Lemar’s credibility “is shaken” and he’s worried about “the validity of the long-range plan.”
Gates said the commission could bid it out to other engineering services.
“That could be done, but I would like to go forward with Barker-Lemar if we can stipulate that Tim is the one,” Commissioner Shannon Addison said.
Parker said the commission used Barker-Lemar because “they know the problems with the landfill.” The engineering firm has worked with SWC for more than eight years.
“When we got the 10-year study, I was really optimistic,” he said. “But all we got was an Excel spreadsheet.”
Gates said the study did offer a list of scenarios and combination of things to do that would cut costs.
“But Jody had already thought of those things,” Parker said.
The commission unanimously approved the change orders and the request for Buelow to represent Barker-Lemar.
Cindy Toopes can be reached at (641) 683-5376 or via e-mail at cindy@ottumwacourier.com.